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Post by Space Borders on Jul 20, 2014 8:52:01 GMT -5
Yes, it has been quite a while since the last post and also since the last update. Although there is virtually no limit to possible add-ons and new features, I believe that Space Borders: Alien Encounter should be left as it is now. Having said that, I think it might be time for a new game based on the Space Borders engine, one which can be picked up more easily and which has a faster overall pace. I will check the forum more regularly in the future, in case anyone has any suggestions. Thanks.  |
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Post by joe on Jul 24, 2014 8:22:54 GMT -5
i quite liked the original. maybe adding a way to customize all the ships. and maybe a permanent regenerative shield. but all in all i quite liked it as it was and a lot of the idea suggestions were good if they could be implemented.
if it could be made for android too then that would be great as it would be easier on a big tablet and if it worked on computer then even better. on computer it could have so much more implemented that may be attractive to more gamers.
could always try get a computer sequel on steam greenlight as well.
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Post by Clinkzbone on Jul 28, 2014 9:24:25 GMT -5
The great one returns! *bows* As for a sequel...how about finishing up Space Borders: Beginnings? A prequel instead of a sequel, timeline-wise, but it'll be cool |
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Post by joe130794 on Jul 29, 2014 5:29:15 GMT -5
maybe a prequel where you had to win through sheer numbers with ships having less weapons. and less militarization.
but a sequel where maybe you run into them again while exploring and they have allied themselves with another unknown species and upgraded their tech more.
but could do with more modifiable ships so maybe fit one out more for frontal assault or all round weapons. and maybe modules to put on like a permanent powered shield that can recharge or other modules.
stuff that was suggested before hand that could now be implemented.
also android compatibility since android is now a bit more widespread. i know a lot of people only use samsungs like the tablets and phones because apple is more limiting with what is in them. so android compatibility would be great.
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Post by Space Borders on Jul 29, 2014 9:33:59 GMT -5
ClinkzboneYou're right, finishing the prequel would probably make more sense than working on a new sequel. So "Beginnings" it is. Maybe we should name it something else though? @joe Haha, I always liked the opposite about strategy games. Even in those big name RTS, I always tried to win with the smallest amount of units possible. The problem with huge numbers is managing them. The interface of Space Borders is not very efficient at that. Converting the game to Android would be quite a project. The game as it is now, is written in Objective-C and also uses 3rd party libraries (which are written in Objective-C as well). Without the external libraries the game is ~100k lines long, so rewriting it, ouch! I don't know if there is a way to simply "convert" the code, but I doubt it, simply because the game is laid out for performance and uses lots of Apple's core graphics and audio libraries to achieve that. @all Really sorry I have been silent for such a long time. Will try to check the forum regularly from now on.
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Post by Clinkzbone on Jul 29, 2014 10:47:17 GMT -5
Space Borders:First Blood Space Borders:First Contact Space Borders:Into The Unknown Just tossing out names. Also, I agree that having fewer ships would be better because micromanaging the number of ships we already have is hard enough, having a massive fleet would make a challenging experience that much harder. Actually, it occurs to me that having a progressive upgrading system would be interesting. What I mean is that at the beginning of...Beginnings (  ) the ships you have would all be weaker than the ships we have in Alien Encounter. Then as you complete missions you can upgrade each ship model until you upgrade them to the level of Alien Encounter. Kinda like how you upgrade the Mothership in Alien Encounter, except you can upgrade all ships instead of just the Mothership. For instance maybe the starting Ceberus has only Plasma Cannons, is slow and has less armour. Then as you complete missions you unlock better armour, better engines, better weapons and finally the Special, so that it becomes on par with the Ceberus in Alien Encounter. I think this would make the game for better timeline-wise. Unfortunately making a prequel also means that there can't be too many improvements on the ships and their systems (e.g. modularity) because that wouldn't make much sense in context of Alien Encounter...then again "oh noes aliens destroyed our factory! We lost our technology!" Contrived, but effective. EDIT: Or, they sent in the best ships in Beginnings (with modular systems, etc), they got destroyed and the second-line ships (with fixed loadouts) were left to fight in Alien Encounter. I am definitely not drawing on Battletech lore |
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Post by Space Borders on Jul 30, 2014 5:51:45 GMT -5
Hm, "Into The Unknown" sounds pretty cool. "First Contact" is also great, but kinda sounds like Star Trek, would still work though.
That progressive upgrade system sounds like a good idea. I was actually considering to remove the whole ship buying part from the prequel. Really want this to be mission oriented, not a campaign and your idea sounds like a great way to allow the player, to spend their hard earned resources on some cool upgrades. All ships you get are preassigned at the start or during a mission, but will be spawned according to your upgrade level.
Haha, yeah that would be an option, make the aliens wipe all of the human technology. Another way is too have different tech, that is slightly less powerful, however still fun to use. Anyway, there can still be a sequel.
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Post by joe130794 on Jul 30, 2014 7:23:25 GMT -5
maybe have it so you use set ships but have the option to call in support if needed. say it cost so much resource that you then wouldn't be able to use upgrading. and yes first conflicts in space games always lose the best ships. so even if they were better and then you are left with less military ships that you can add weapons too but it takes so many hours to build them. i cant remember if the first game explained how they met the aliens whether it was through exploration or them attacking first.
and with a sequel there could always be a lot of improvements. if the prequel is already being written for ios then maybe there would be a way to make the sequel as close to compatible with android as possible so there isn't a lot that would need changing. and maybe a third race either helping the aliens after humanity rebuilding or helping humanity after the aliens rebuilding would be could in a sequel. we could always come up with all the dialogue for a sequel on here and then the game would just need making.
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Post by Clinkzbone on Aug 1, 2014 9:18:44 GMT -5
I like that idea!
Having fixed ship spawns would be fun, I think. Adds more strategy too, because you have to figure out what to do with what you're given instead of farming DSM till you have 3 capital ships and stomp everything.
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Post by joe130794 on Aug 1, 2014 13:13:55 GMT -5
well still have deep space mining because you could maybe upgrade ships and increase the amount of backup.
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Post by Clinkzbone on Aug 1, 2014 20:53:36 GMT -5
Almost forgot. AI improvements?  |
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Post by joe130794 on Aug 2, 2014 6:57:30 GMT -5
that too. rather than the enemy ships just heading straight for you. it makes it very easy to follow them back to the master minds.
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Post by Space Borders on Aug 5, 2014 4:57:43 GMT -5
OK, have dug out the "Beginnings" source code and will look through it. - Yes, pro the idea of support powers. Maybe there could be a smaller version of the Daedalus, with different / less powers? - Android port - no can do, sorry! The thing is that Beginnings or any other game built on top of Space Borders will be using the same engine. The engine is huge part of the game and has actually not been changed in ~1.5 years, since the game has been released. All of the last updates and even Conquest Mode use the exact same engine, which is fully written in Objective-C. - AI improvements - better left for the sequel, rather than prequel. It would seem odd if the second part of the game was less functional than the first one. Anyway, the Beginnings missions will be more customized, i.e. special tasks and groups of enemies, no masterminds. |
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Post by joe130794 on Aug 5, 2014 5:44:12 GMT -5
will it run ok on ios 6.1.6 because i think thats the latest my ipod touch will go to. i still have a ipod touch 4.
i was just wondering about android because i changed to samsung now. and with android could bring more people. is a pc version not possible either.
and a smaller daedalus would be cool. but maybe being able to call in small-medium support ships as well as the standard powers like radar and fighters and missiles.
and i look forward to the game with a bit more strategy involved.
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Post by Space Borders on Aug 5, 2014 9:57:11 GMT -5
Yep, don't worry, I always build the game for the minimum version of iOS possible. Currently this would be iOS 4.3. Unfortunately a PC version will mean the same trouble as porting it to Android.
OK, how about the smaller version of the Daedalus being able to also construct Gladiators and Centaurs?
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) the ships you have would all be weaker than the ships we have in Alien Encounter. Then as you complete missions you can upgrade each ship model until you upgrade them to the level of Alien Encounter. Kinda like how you upgrade the Mothership in Alien Encounter, except you can upgrade all ships instead of just the Mothership.
